Police are searching for a member of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit who is accused of shooting an employee of his company after an argument, a senior police official said.

The official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak with the media, said that on July 20, Major General Mom Sophors, a military officer working with the bodyguard unit, became angry with Sun Rattana, 27, a driver for his company MSP Transport in Por Sen Chey district, over an argument involving Rattana’s back wages. So he shot him in the right thigh.

“He fired two bullets into the ground near his legs, but unluckily a bullet hit the victim’s right thigh, seriously injuring him,” he said.

He added that after the shooting, Sophors escaped, and staff helped the victim get to Calmette Hospital for treatment. Two days later, he filed a complaint with police.

Sophors could not be reached for comment yesterday.